variations might include whole garlic cloves and rosemary branches instead of thyme, small whole potatoes such as yellow finn, red, fingerling varieties, etc, rutabaga (naturally), burdock root (sometimes known as gobo), oh, I don't know, I eat this a lot during the cooler season, whatever's on hand, especially those underground items, quartered onion, whole shallots!, mmmm... haven't had the fennel in this before, but will be sure to do so next time around